Poop and Trash Piling up at American Climbing Areas
Many of America’s popular climbing areas are suffering during the government shutdown in American at the start of 2019. Poop and trash are overflowing from restrooms and public areas.
Many national parks have remained open during the shutdown but the parks are severely understaffed.
California’s Joshua Tree National Park will be closing campgrounds amid health and safety concerns over near-capacity pit toilets. Joshua Tree is a busy climbing area in winter with more than 792,000 acres of national park between Palm Springs to the south and town of Joshua Tree to the north.
“The park is being forced to take this action for health and safety concerns as vault toilets reach capacity,” the park service said. “In addition to human waste in public areas, driving off road and other infractions that damage the resource are becoming a problem.” The National Park Service also said the shutdown prevented it from making staff available to “provide guidance, assistance, maintenance, or emergency response.”
“Any entry onto NPS property during this period of federal government shutdown is at the visitor’s sole risk.” the park service said this week. Trash collection has stopped along with road and walkway maintenance.
Yosemite, the nation’s third most-visited national park and a busy climbing area nearly year-round, remains open but various campgrounds as well as snow play areas are “closed due to human waste issues and lack of staffing.”
On the Yosemite Twitter, officials said a “lack of the restrooms and resulting impacts from human waste” forced the closure of the campgrounds. “People entering closed areas are being cited,” the tweet said.
“It’s really a big deal for Joshua Tree,” said Kristen Brengel, vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, of the campground closings. “This is a very popular season for people that come there.
Campgrounds in the park will be closed effective noon Wednesday, January 2nd. The park is being forced to take this action for health and safety concerns as vault toilets reach capacity. Indian Cove and Black Rock campgrounds will be open for day-use only, sunrise to sunset.
— Joshua Tree NPS (@JoshuaTreeNPS) December 31, 2018
“People are bringing in dogs and drones and there are instances where people aren’t following the rules and it is not good for the wildlife and the environment.
Joshua Tree Superintendent David Smith, in a statement, thanked the “local businesses, volunteer groups, and tribal members” who have stepped up to collect trash and maintain grounds during the shutdown.
“This is reflection on their efforts and the part is very fortunate to have a community that exhibits the kind of care and concern witnessed over the last week,” he said.
The partial government shutdown entered its 11th day on Tuesday, with few indications the government will reopen in the immediate future. Thousands of federal workers have been furloughed during the shutdown.